Ships In Bottles
by Legacie
Summary: Gevanni, one of the essential SPK members didn't start out as a professional detective. In fact, he started out as a criminal who wanted to help a cousin. Who knew that a simple ship in a bottle would cause such a mess?
1. Chapter 1

Stephen Loud perched on a chair, meticulously working on his next project: an antique ship in a bottle made by European conquistadors on their way to the New World. It would go for thousands at auction. He smiled at the thought. Stephen had made many fake designer products in the past and sold them online, but this was one of his more ambitious endeavors. He had just started creating fake antiques. He didn't find it hard to reproduce tea sets or even basic furniture, but a ship in a bottle? That was way harder. From the miniature sails to the carved hull, Stephen frowned at the difficulty of the work.

Gritting his teeth with effort, Stephen tried once more in vain to carve a perfect hull. He tossed the wooden block in a pile with all the other rejects. He sighed and went to go refill his coffee. He needed a break. Stephen took a seat and opened Skype to call his cousin Suguru Shimura, who had recently moved to Japan because on his job. Though Suguru was 14 years Stephen's senior, they had a mutual respect for each other and were each other's confidante and friend.

"Hey Suguru. How's it going?"

"It's going well, thank you," Suguru replied.

"It's been pretty lonely without you. I don't get out much, you know. How's work?"

"W-w-w-work? Work's fine. N-n-n-nothing weird whatsoever!" Suguru grinned sheepishly and Stephen could tell that he was clenching his fists next to his face, a clear sign of nervousness.

"You're at that Yotsuba place, right? What exactly do you do there?" Stephen asked, trying to see how much he could get out of his cousin. Stephen could tell that Suguru was nervous, but knowing his cousin, Suguru would tell him what was going on. With Suguru acting so nervous: more nervous than usual, Stephen couldn't help but pry.

"Um, I'm uh VP of P-p-personnel. Um I um help with the um personnel and I um help them to do their jobs?" Suguru ended his answer like it was a question.

"Hm," was Stephen's only reply.

Suguru suddenly looked very intent on fixing his hair. "So um how are you?" he finally asked sheepishly.

"I'm good, thank you."

"Oh um good! Good for you, Stephen! I um have to go so um bye Stephen!"

"Bye Suguru."

Stephen sighed. So much for a relaxing evening chatting with his cousin. He went back to carving the ship. Another botched carving. Stephen angrily threw the wooden block into the pile with the rest of the rejects and walked off to bed for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hiya Wonderful person who decided to read this story! My name is Legacie and I am the author of this here masterpiece (well I think it's a masterpiece) (I also am a teensy bit narcissistic) (In case you didn't notice I love parentheses) I love anime, kendamas, and impromptu speaking. I also love Near. And Tamaki (Ouran HS Host Club). And YUUTAAAAAA (Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shiita) gyah hes so cute **

**Okay... so I hope you enjoy this. You will get to meet my OC Cairenn Tolmach**

**OC Name Pronounciation 101**

**Cairenn- CAR-inn (Not Karen- Cair rhymes with star)**

**Tolmach- TOLL-mack **

* * *

Stephen awoke early in the morning per his usual habits. He stepped out for a walk around the block on a cold New York morning. As he walked, delicious scents from the small coffee shop around the corner tempted him, so he went and claimed a table. He turned and watched the news playing on a small TV in the back of the shop. There was a special being played about a killer from Japan. "Kira," they called him. Apparently it was how the Japanese pronounced "killer". He watched and learned that this "Kira" had been killing criminals for a little over six months. According to the newscaster, Kira had killed thousands of criminals. "_Some divine judgement,"_ Stephen thought to himself, "_it seems like this 'Kira' thinks he is some sort of god. But who is he to decide who lives or dies? Who is he to choose?" _

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice asking if the seat across from him was taken. "Hmm? Oh yeah. Go ahead," Stephen replied.

"Some news, huh?" Stephen turned around to see a girl sitting behind him.

"Yeah," Stephen replied.

"You know, a lot of the world is starting to side with this Kira guy."

"Side with him?"

"Yeah. All of this talk about how Kira is righteous, Kira is god, Kira is amazing, whatever. It started with just a few emo guys, so no one really took them seriously. They looked like the types of people who would start claiming that the zombie apocalypse is coming on June 6, 2006 or whatnot. Who would believe some screaming idiot on a street corner? I sure wouldn't! But then other people started believing it. Fanpages were put up supporting Kira, people started getting pro-Kira T-shirts and everything. My brother even believes it! My own brother, gosh, darn it! Running all around like 'Yay Kira! Love Kira!' What baloney."

Stephen was getting very annoyed by this point. He gave the girl a death glare before returning to his watching of the news.

"I'm Cairenn Tolmach, by the way. Call me Cairenn. Apprentice craftsman, recreational dancer, wannabe singer, at your service."

"Stephen Loud."

"Well for someone named Loud, you sure are quiet. My mom used to tell me I'm too loud, but once I started college and I was out of the house she stopped caring. Said I could get myself in trouble all i wanted with that big mouth of mine. 'You just keep on yapping and we'll see where you end up,' she'd always tell me."

Stephen gave her a death glare. He finally spat angrily, "You'll end up with people telling you to shut your freaking mouth."

"I-I'm sorry Stephen, I just can't help myself. I may be an apprentice craftsman, recreational dancer, and a wannabe singer, but I'm no quiet girl."

"_An apprentice craftsman?"_ Stephen thought to himself, "_She may be able to help me with the ship in bottle."_

"Craftsman, you say?" Stephen asked, "How are you with wood carving?"

"Oh, I'm just great with wood! I carve all the time. I've made ring games, boxes, plaques, my masterpiece is this kendama I made for my nephew."

"Can you carve a ship?"

"Like a boat? Yeah, I think I can."

"Can you come by to help me out with that? I'm making a, um, gift for my, um, Uncle...Norm."

"Your Uncle Norm? Sounds like a worthy cause. You nearby?"

"Just around the corner."

"Sure. Show me the way."

* * *

**Ship them? **

**...**

...

...

**Too bad. I don't. All in due time my wonderful readers. All in due time.**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Hello Wonderfuls and welcome to Chapter 3! Backstories are my weakness, so here's my best attempt. Enjoy!

Legacie

"So this is the place?" Cairenn asked after they arrived. She sat down on the sofa and put her feet up on the table. Stephen hastily moved some of his stuff she wouldn't kick it.

"Yup," he replied, "um, make yourself...at home, I guess."

"So where's this ship I hear about?"

"Right here." Stephen showed Cairenn the plans that he printed off the Internet. "I can't get the hull carved right. See this little point? It always ends up looking too rounded."

"That's all? Oh, that'll be no sweat. Where do you keep your tools?" Cairenn swung her feet off the table and stood up, following Stephen to his work table.

"It's kind of a mess, but here you go." Stephen passed Cairenn a new block of wood and his tools.

"Thanks."

Stephen sat awkwardly watching Cairenn carve. When she had something to do, she was surprisingly quiet. She actually looked somewhat peaceful. He got up and asked her if she wanted coffee, but she declined. After getting tired of watching her work, he went to go Skype with Suguru in the other room.

"Hey, Suguru," Stephen greeted his cousin.

"Stephen," answered a bleary-eyed Suguru, "It's 1:30 in the morning. What do you want?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I keep forgetting about the time difference!" He promptly hung up and booted up his laptop. He opened up a page for Vernen MacVoy, an antique buyer located in San Francisco. He had a special taste for pieces from the Age of Exploration. Stephen chuckled at how rich he would get.

Ever since he was in high school, Stephen knew that he wanted to live luxuriously. He wanted a fancy apartment in the heart of the city where he would spend his days living it up. The one problem was that he was never motivated. He ended up dropping out of high school his junior year. He found a small job at a diner to pay the rent for a small apartment, but he always was looking for a way to accomplish his dream the quick way. He found it in making fake copies of priceless antiques.

He had always been artistic. In elementary school, he doodled in class while the teacher was talking and all through middle and high school, the only class he got above a C in was Art. He started getting the idea of making fakes when he wanted to impress a high school girlfriend on her birthday, but found himself broke. He was able to look at some photographs and make a near-perfect copy of whatever designer jewelry she wanted. The fling didn't last long, but soon he had an army of girls after him for his "designer" birthday and Christmas presents. He liked all the attention and even took advantage of it, so he earned the reputation of being a player.

Cairenn's loud voice interrupted Stephen's thoughts. "I'm done!" she called.

Stephen hopped up and took a look at Cairenn's copy of the hull of the boat. It was perfect. "Wow, Cairenn," he commented, "this is perfect!"

"Well, I said I was at your service! I'm glad I was able to satisfy your needs. Hey, so, I know this is kind of awkward, but can I have your...um...I have no idea how to ask this! I'm such a spaz… Okay, I'll just ask flat out. Can I have your number?" Cairenn asked.

"_Do I really want this girl calling me?"_ thought Stephen, "_I don't know if I want her bugging me all the time. She is really annoying. But then again, she can help me with my other projects. Maybe I should just give it to her. All she wants is a friend. Well, all I want is some cash. Ok, Cairenn Tolmach. I'll give you a friend. But you better give me some help in return."_

"Sure!" Stephen replied with a little too much forced cheeriness. Cairenn seemed not to notice and held out her phone. Stephen leaned over and typed in (668)424-2564.

"See you soon!" she said as she left.


End file.
